KOKOMO — Struggling Hoosier students can be helped with more focused classes and perhaps mentorships with teachers, but it will come at additional costs.
That assessment came Monday night as 100 educators and parents met to discuss the Every Student Succeeds Act, the federal replacement for No Child Left Behind.
The Indiana Department of Education is hosting discussions that may help mold the state's approach to ESSA.
ESSA was signed into law in December 2015.
Like its predecessor, ESSA holds states accountable for high standards, maintains state accountability systems, requires annual tests in Grades 3-8 and in high school, and sustains support for struggling schools and development of teachers. It also allows for more state input and direction.
But through ESSA, states can determine how they want to reach policy goals and have more local control in their approach, officials said.
"ESSA is similar to No Child in that you still have accountability," said Adam Baker, Indiana Department of Education press secretary. "You still have assessments. You still have the end result, which is ensuring children are academically sound and prepared for the future."
The state is to send its plans to the U.S. Deprtament of Education by Sept. 18 but will have the proposal online by July.
Monday night, the group gathered at Indiana University Kokomo campus to discuss how to measure a school's success, how to support all students and how to improve schools in need, among other issues.
In the latter, a group of about 12 suggested that struggling students, notably those of low socioeconomic status, could be in classes for a longer part of the day.
Scott Simpson, a Marion teacher, summarized that group's discussion: "Opportunities afforded to students of higher socioeconomic backgrounds aren't afforded to students in need. So they need to be in school more days not a balanced calendar. They need to be in school more days ... for more time."
Another group urged state officials to find a way that all students are welcome in hopes of keeping students in school.
"We want to make sure all children are feeling connected to school to decrease the dropout rate," said Robin Culley, who is with the Indiana University Kokomo School of Education.
She said because of standardized testing, schools are "designed to target the success of our college-bound students, and they;re not designed to look at the success of kids who may not be college bound."
Culley's group suggested mentor programs to guide students to different paths of success.
But Simpson's group, as did some others, also acknowledged that helping students in need will require more funding and resources for schools.
Terry Thompson, superintendent of Anderson Community Schools, brought two administrators to the Kokomo session.
After his meeting group summarized their efforts, Thompson said the value of the discussion relies on how the state implements ESSA.
"If we're truly going to make an impact on the state of Indiana, we've got to have some consistency," he said. "These are great beginning meetings. Now we've got to expand it to having a larger conversation. If the state doesn't support schools that need help, it's not going to make any difference."
The discussions continue this month around the state with an online meeting for April 24.